Encephalitozoon cuniculi Microsporidia in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Immunocompetent Patients, Czech Republic

Emerg Infect Dis. 2024 Jun;30(6):1263-1266. doi: 10.3201/eid3006.231585.

Abstract

We retrospectively analyzed of 211 frozen cerebrospinal fluid samples from immunocompetent persons in the Czech Republic and detected 6 Encephalitozoon cuniculi-positive samples. Microsporidiosis is generally underestimated and patients are not usually tested for microsporidia, but latent infection in immunodeficient and immunocompetent patients can cause serious complications if not detected and treated.

Keywords: Czech Republic; Encephalitozoon cuniculi; PCR; cerebrospinal fluid; latent infection; parasites; qPCR; zoonoses.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Czech Republic / epidemiology
  • Encephalitozoon cuniculi* / genetics
  • Encephalitozoon cuniculi* / isolation & purification
  • Encephalitozoonosis* / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Encephalitozoonosis* / epidemiology
  • Encephalitozoonosis* / microbiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunocompetence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies